This week we’re diving into all things lighting for video and virtual meetings.
This can feel like another one of those areas that leads to analysis paralysis but I break it down into three key areas, providing specific examples and showing each one with and without glasses, as glasses can make some lighting challenging (if you know, you know 🤓).
Being properly lit in your videos and virtual meetings is super important.
Think about some of your favorite scary movies and the lighting (or darkness) they employ, versus the lighting used in more upbeat movies. Lighting in itself tells a story, and as an advisor you probably don’t want to be evoking feelings of horror movies.
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all when it comes to lighting, I’ve rounded up some of the best options and best practices depending on your setup, budget and space available.
☀️ Natural Light
Without a shadow of a doubt, this is your best option. It’s also the most affordable because it’s FREE. 🥳
While direct sunlight pouring into the room might be too harsh, a soft and diffuse natural light coming from a window works as the perfect lighting for your virtual meetings and video recordings — just make sure the window is in front of you, not behind!
🕯 Small, Portable Lights
If you don’t have access to windows or perhaps it’s that time of the year when the sun has gone shy, you’ll need to add some light to ensure that your face is most well lit thing on camera.
You’ll also want make sure that you’re not just illuminating your face but the background as well. Whether you’re recording videos or on a virtual call, illuminating just your face and leaving a dark background can have a strange look (check it out here) so be sure to include some lighting in the background as well.
Generally, you’ll want your lights at eye level and off to the side a little bit. Having the light directly centered can be too strong and can wash out some of your features, while off-centering it slightly gives just the right amount of shadow to provide some depth.
If you wear glasses, you’ll want a nice diffuse light. Unfortunately, for all their popularity, ring lights don’t work well with glasses. The light reflects pretty strongly which can be distracting for those you’re talking to so I’d recommend one of the other options.
Here are links to the smaller, portable lights I mention in the video:
- Webcam light with clip: https://amzn.to/3dSBP6u
- Ring light 18″: https://amzn.to/3Rg5ynI
- Ring light 10″: https://amzn.to/3r8A6Np
- Rechargeable LED light: https://amzn.to/3dFVHtO
Pro Tip: No matter what kind of lighting gear you get, make sure it has different color temperatures. This will allow you to make adjustments depending on your skin tone, the time of day, or other lighting you may be using.
💡 Studio Quality Light
This is a great option if you have more space and want a more permanent lighting setup.
Most high-quality options such as LED panels are super powerful and give you complete control over your lighting.
The downside is that they’re not as portable as the options above so if you don’t have a dedicated space to keep them up, they’re at risk of gathering dust in the closet.
Also keep in mind, if you have sensitive eyes or are prone to headaches, having any lights brightly in your eyes for an extended period can cause more harm than they’re worth.
A great thing about LED panels though, is that you can angle them towards the ceiling and have the light bounce off it so that it isn’t directly shining in your face and it can almost mimic the effects of that indirect light from a window.
As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions for purchases made through the links above.
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